Chapter Three

Aria's POV

Aiden pulled over at our driveway and I unbuckled my seatbelt. I was about to get out of the car when Axel stopped me by taking my hand. I looked at him and saw him smiling.

"What is it?" I asked him.

"You?" He said.

"What about me?"

"You are everything that I need and I can't imagine leaving without you. I love you Aria."

"I love you too Axel." I said as I leaned in closer and kissed him softly on the lips. After pulling away I opened the door and got out of the car. I bid both Axel and Aiden goodbye and watched as they drove off. As I watched the car disappear, that feeling I always get when Axel goes away came back, loneliness.

I walked into the house and I headed straight for my room. I wasn't feeling hungry and I was really exhausted and so I was looking forward to a nice warm shower and a goodnight sleep.

As I walked down the hallway, I heard noises coming from my parents room, I was going to ignore it and just head directly to  my room when I heard my name. I decided to listen to what they were arguing about, and so I went and stood outside there bedroom door which was slightly open.

"Aria is your daughter, you can't treat her like this, you can't just go ahead and use her for your own benefit." I heard my mother say.

"What choice do I have Kristine? My company is at a very bad position and this is the only way to save it." I heard my father say.

"By using your own daughter. Mark what if she finds out about all this, what if she comes to know that the only reason you moved the wedding date forward was because the doctor said she is already in the third stage of leukemia and you are afraid she is never going to make it so you might as well make use of her when she is still alive, or what if she comes to know that the main reason you got her engaged to Axel in the first place was for you to get rid of her because all your life she's always been a burden to you." I heard my mother say and to say I was shocked was an understatement.

"I am just trying to help her Kristine, can't you see that no one will ever want to be with her because of how she looks."

"You are not trying to help her Mark, you are only trying to help yourself. You can lie to the rest of the world but you can't lie to me Mark. I know that you are trying to get her married to Axel not only to get rid of her, but also to get your company to a better position and the only way you can do that is by getting her married to Axel because his family owns one of the biggest company's in the city."

I could not believe my own father could do this to me, and the most painful thing is that my mother knew about this all along and didn't even bother to tell me. Is that what the doctor told my mother yesterday after he examined me, that I was in the third stage of leukemia, don't they believe that I can survive, don't they think that I can make it? I couldn't take it anymore, I have to confront them for this. Without thinking I pushed the door and entered the room, and they both looked at me with shock written all over their faces.

"I can't believe it dad, that you would stoop this low just to get rid of me. I know that I have always being an unwanted burden to you but a few years ago I thought that would change, and you know why is that, because I was diagnosed with leukemia. I thought that maybe you would have some sympathy for me and come by as a father and be there for me through every step of the way but instead you are the first one to push me even further away. You are using my situation as way to benefit you, how selfish are you dad? I even thought that by agreeing to date Axel and getting engaged to him, could make you change your attitude towards me as it was you who suggested we get married but no, it did not." I said as tears rolled down my cheeks.

"Aria, please listen...." My mother started to say but I interrupted her.

"Not another word mum, because you knew about this all along but you did nothing about it. You knew what your husband was up to and you didn't tell me anything. I trusted you mother, I thought you valued my feelings and happiness, but you don't!"

"Aria I am sorry, I did not want for any of this to happen." She said while crying.

"Sorry. You think sorry can make everything okay." I said as I went to stand in front of my father. "You call yourself a renowned business man, right? What if your best friend and business partner Mr.Campbell comes and finds out about everything, that you are using me to get to his one and only son, so that your company revives. What will happen then?" I said as I looked at him straight in the eyes, but as always, no emotions were there.

"Mr.Campbell will not find out about any of this because no one will tell him, and that includes you. If you dare try to tell him, you will regret it." He said coldly,  and left the room. I could not believe my father, after all that has happened, he is threatening me not to reveal the truth, isn't he even sorry for his actions?

I looked at my mother who was still crying and left the room.

"Aria! Aria! Aria stop! Listen to me!" I heard her call out after me but I did not stop, I did not want to listen to any of her lies anymore. I went to my room and shut the door behind me.

I leaned against the door and slid down. I don't understand why my father hates me so much, it is not my fault I was born looking like this, I didn't ask for this face. The most painful thing is that my own father wants to get rid of me this much and he would to any extent to do it, and he even moved our wedding date forward because he found I was in the third stage of leukemia. Does he think that I can't survive or doesn't he want me to survive?

My mother and I had always been very close ever since I was young, and she always had my back through everything. I had always trusted her with my life and shared everything with her, I always thought that we had a special bond but today she proved me wrong. She knew everything from the start and still she chose to keep it a secret from me.

"Aria! Aria please open the door for me honey." I heard my mother's voice as she knocked on my door.

"No! Go away mum, I don't want to talk to you." I said as I stood up and went to sit on my bed.

"Please Aria, just open the door for me." I heard her say again.

"I said go away, I don't want to see your face, just go away." I said as I threw a pillow at the door. I guess she must have gone because I did not hear any more knocking.

I took my phone from my pocket and stared at the photo Axel and I took together while the sun was setting. I stared at Axel as I caressed it on my phone. He really loves me and I love him too, and I really want to spend the rest of my life with him but not this way. I don't want to be in a relationship that is based on lies, I don't want to lie to Axel, I don't want to use him, I want to be honest with him. He is always so optimistic and happy, and if I lie to him and use him, he is going to be crushed and will probably hate me forever, and that is the last thing I want.

I am not going to let this happen, I am not going to let my father have his way. I am not going to use Axel so as to please my father because pleasing him is far from possible.

As much as I want to, I am not going to let this marriage take place. My father would have to find another way to save his company because I am not going to help him do it.